St.Auby, Tamás: Pour empêcher le Méchant (1970-1975)

The phrase used in the title evokes the overcoming of evil spirits and demons. While the choice of title suggests a general validity, it elevates the theme to a cosmic level. It recalls the notion of exorcism, the canonical church term for the ritual practice aimed at driving out demons or other evil spirits. At the same time, it refers to the ecclesiastical practice of removing or neutralizing evil spiritual beings believed to possess a person or a place. This practice is of ancient origin and is present in many cultures and religions. In contrast, the object here—by which such a goal could supposedly be achieved—is unusual and strikingly simple: a pop object belonging to Szentjóby’s series of meditation pieces. Composed of everyday elements, a “bundle of dynamite” made of seven sticks of wood tied with a leather strap, and accompanied by a typewritten instruction sheet, it appears as a symbol of resistance. At the same time, the presence of the instructions directly alongside the object is familiar within the context of Fluxus phenomena. By this time Szentjóby was already deeply engaged with this artistic form, having been translating and disseminating Fluxus texts since 1966. The instruction sheet itself is a kind of absurd manual, listing possible ways of using the “actionist object” intended to subdue evil. The intermedial object was created shortly before Szentjóby’s departure to Switzerland, during a period when his practice was becoming increasingly radicalized, as the authorities treated him as a far-left anarchist.